Mercury-vapor apparatus



Aug. 18, 1925.

w. BURSTYN MERCURY VAPOR APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1923 n n lwxw P S t ow t n B A r m l lm H Patented Aug. 18, 1925.

UNITED, STATES ,PAT'ENT OFFICE.

WALTHER BURST-YN, or nnnmn-wrmvrnnsnonr, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR 'ro GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION on NEW YORK.

MERCURY-VAPOR APPARATUS.

Application filed May 28, 1923. Serial lion-642,120.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVALTHER BURSTYN, a citizen of the German Realm, residing at Berlin-Wilniersdorf, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improve- .ments in Mercury-Vapor Apparatus, ofv

which the following is a specification.

The present I invention relates to vapor electric devices, such, for example,-as mercury are devices, and its object isto provide an improved starting arrangement.

In accordance with my invention I have provided means for subjecting the cathode of the device in which an arc is to be started to an electrostatic or capacity strain, and at the same time generating electrons at said electrode.

The accompanying. drawing illustrates an embodiment of my invention in a mercury arc device. Q I

Referring to the. drawing, the mercury 1 are device comprises'a container 1 consisting of glass or similar material having dielectric properties. The cathode 2 consists of mercury. The anode?) may consist of any. suitable conductive material, for example, carbon or iron. I T

A side branch or supplemental electrode 4 also consisting in this case of mercury, is provided for generating electrons at the cathode when the-electrodes 2, I4 areincluded in a circuit and the gap between them is broken between them in the well understood manner by a high voltage surge.

External to the envelope and adjacent to 'the electrode 2, an electrode 5 is provided.

which may consist of a suitable metal coating upon the external surface of the glass container, and which constitutes a con-- denser with the adjacent mercury electrode 2. A source of current, such, for example,

as the secondary of a transformer 6 has one terminal connected to the electrode '2 by a conductor 7, the other terminal being connected by a conductor 8 to branches 9- and 10 leading respectively to the side branch electrode a and to the electrode 5.

Preferably spark gaps 11., 12 and13 are included in the conductors 7, .8 and 9 to produce a rapid rise of voltage when a switch 14 is closed, but my invention is not limited to the use of such gaps in the circuit. The transformer preferably 1s designed to deliver a current with a steep voltage characteristic.

By the described arrangement an arc may be started with certainty between the main electrodes 2, 3, current being supplied by the main conductors 15, 16 (from asource not shown) under conditions which are .un'- favorable to the starting of an are by either method alone. This is due to the electrode 2. being subjected simultaneously to electrostatic strain when electrons are generated by the side branch are at the main electrode 2.

What I claim. as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a vapor electric device having a vaporizable' electrode, the combination ofmeans comprising an auxiliary mercury anode for generating electrons at said electrode and coacting means for s1multaneously subjecting said electrodeto an elec trostatic field.

2. In a vapor electric device the combination of a vaporizable electrode,asecond electrode comprising an auxiliary mercury anode adapted to support a discharge in conjunction with said vaporizable electrode, a third electrode electrostatically' coupled with said vaporizable electrode and circuit connections for simultaneously energiz ing said vaporizable electrode-with rev spect to said other electrodes.

3. In a vapor electric device the combination of a vitreous container, electrodes therein one of which consists of mercury,

an electrode external to said container adjacent to said mercury electrode, a second internal mercury electrode separated. from said mercury electrode by a gap, and an external source of current connected to energize said. external and internal electrodes simultaneously with respect to said first.

mentioned mercury electrode. I d

4. In a vapor electric device the combination of an electrode adapted to support an arc,-means comprlslng an auxiliary mercury 5. The combination of a vacuum tube con-" taining electrodes one of which consists of mercury, an external electrode constitutlng a condenser with said mercury electrode, a

supplemental internal vaporizable electrode,

means for producing adischarge between said mercury electrode and said'supplemental electrode and means for simultaneously charging said external electrode.

6. In a Vapor electric device the combination of a vaporizable elect-rode, a second 5 mercury electrode adapted to support a discharge in conjunction With said Vaporizable electrode, a third electrode electrostatically coupled with said vaporizable electrode and a circuit containing one or more spark gaps for simultaneously energizing said vaporizable electrode with respect to said other electrodes.

WALTHER BURSTYN; 

